The Seconds That Define Us

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I wrote this into the midnight, and I didn’t actually know how best to articulate this. Let's just say life has come with a lot of lessons lately. Lessons that I have always known except it hits differently every gaddamn time. It's fascinating how such a huge difference time can make in milliseconds.

You know, having gone through the battle of self, I woke up to more triggers. I wouldn’t know what to tag my feelings with. Would it be gratitude? But then would it be insensitive that I’m grateful over another’s misfortune?

At this point I’m not really certain about my take on the concept called life. You know, someone once said existing on planet earth is just like going grocery shopping. You either go to the supermarket or to the local market; pick whatever you like, need, or want; pay for it; and then exit to your home. Basically, what is most intriguing in this simple analysis is that in reality, it becomes our existence. Truly, life in its random simplicity can be unexpectedly cruel.

Today, Nigeria mourns. If there is one tragedy that I dread the most, it is exiting the stage when the ovation is at its loudest, most especially after going through fire and brimstone to get to that stage.

Notably, there would be times when even on that stage the spotlight won’t shine, and one still has to give it their absolute best. Then, finally, when the spotlight rotates to your spot, you are bowing and exiting.

Well, that was the story of a young, promising soprano artist who lost her life in the early hours of this morning. I woke up to pick up my phone, and that was the first news that greeted me.

She had a home accident, and still took herself to the hospital. It was also reported that she went to two hospitals, but she was told that they had no capacity to help her. I could only imagine how downcast she must have felt.

How each passing seconds during her last moments were plagued with Disappointment and fear. A disappointment that the system failed her and a fear of the unknown what would life bring when the final breath is drawn?

Well, according to the news, she was later placed on drip as she was losing strength. The news stated that she was on the phone with her family, and her last words were that she felt dizzy. That was it; that was her bowing out of the stage at a point in her life where her career was hitting the peak region.

As I scrolled through my news feed I stumbled upon a post linking to her profile and I decided to see what her activities were like. I saw a video where she talked about this year starting on a busy note and that she loved it. I saw another videos where she sang a beautiful good bye melody to 2025. Little did people know it was the one good bye for eternity.

Indeed her cycle has ended she is done buying and she has home. She was so young, she wasn’t reckless, and she seemed to have her future laid ever so brightly at her feet. In all this knowing, it is me truly asking and pondering if life is a random walk that follows no definite path.